Offshore Testing - how's it going?
ProtoTest doesn't do offshore testing. We believe strongly in the value of close collaboration between testers and developers, testers and product managers, testers and software users. So far, at least, we have found that the best way to achieve that collaboration is to work side-by-side with our client.
But I'm curious to hear about your recent experiences with offshore testing. How big was your project (people and duration)? What went well? What didn't go so well?
Pete Dignan
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Over the years, I have managed several offshore (Philippines, Ukraine, India, Pakistan) and 'near shore' (Costa Rica) as well as remote USA QA Teams (Maine, New Jersey). The only 'problems' I ever encountered were with cultural responses to the [American] QA mission. With the Filipino team members, the cultural issue was their natural desire to be polite (not wanting to describe 'defects'). With the Ukrainian team members, the issue was their cultural hubris (i.e., America is the 'competition') (The Ukrainian team members would find defects but would describe those defects in a 'blame' way, if you know what I mean). With Costa Rica, well, the issues were more to do with the governmental regulations requiring non-citizens to remove themselves every 90 days from the country (for 72 hours).
With the Maine QA team, the weather was the issue (in the winter) and that thing with Moose. heh heh
It is my opinion that a forward thinking company would have a testing office (and development and CRM offices) in Makati City (the 'silicon valley' of Manila, PH). Network bandwidth is high and stable, workers are well-educated, intelligent and detail-oriented TEAM players. If I had a 100 grand right now, I'd go to Makati City and start my own QA business, because USD100,000 would equal PHP4,832,220. Also, you can't find better, more focused, disciplined technically literate workers than those you find in Makati City.
I might also open a development office in Curitibo, So. Brazil, because that area is a wonderful place to live and there are lots of educated, technically literate Brazilian people available for hire.
I would NOT have an office in India again, but I would consider having an office in Pakistan... if the political situation remains stable. I go by experientially acquired understanding... the Indian QA Team I managed did not work nearly as effectively and efficiently as the Filipino, Ukrainian and Pakistani teams. Well, these days India is losing jobs to 'offshoring'.... to the Philippines. Eventually, of course, the Philippines will lose out to China, but not in the next several years. (Nevertheless, I am actively studying Mandarin Chinese.)
Does this help?